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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA018 - Email to Hutter, Bauer and County Auditor dated August 8, 2001 Diane R Voss To: jhutter@iastate.edu; mmoseman@storycounty.com; 08/08/2001 11:27 AM bauerjan@yahoo.com cc: bobanncamp@aol.com, RussCross@financial.wellsfargo.com, steve.goodhue@fabg.net,judiehoffman@yahoo.com, hcgbach@isunet.net, sharonwirth@yahoo.com,TedJoanie@aol.com, schainker@city.ames.ia.us Subject: Ms. Bauer, Mr. Hutter, and Ms. Mosiman: Thank you for the suggestions each of you made regarding Ames' Reprecincting. John Klaus, City Attorney; Joe Pietruszynski, City Planner; and Diane Voss, City Clerk, met on August 7 to discuss your recommendations. We concur that the numeric designations assigned to the various precincts should be those that cause the least amount of confusion for the voters. In comparing the recommendations made by Ms. Bauer and Mr. Hutter with those of the Auditor, there are some differences. Mary Mosiman informed us that David Harvey(from the Auditor's Office) has worked to assign precinct numbers that will result in the least number of changes for the voters. The Auditor's Office recommendation follows: Proposed Precinct Number Suggested Precinct Number 4 - 1 4 -4 4 - 2 4 - 5 4 - 3 4 - 3 4 -4 4 - 1 4 - 5 4 - 2 3 - 1 3 - 2 3 -2 3 - 5 3 - 3 3 - 3 3 -4 3 -4 3 - 5 3 - 1 The Auditor's Office believes that this will be the least disruptive for voters and the most economic. Ms. Mosiman is sending a copy of the above recommendation to Jan Bauer. In view of the Auditor's official responsibilities as the County Commissioner of Elections, the map to be presented to the City Council on August 14 will reflect the Auditor's proposed precinct designations. Pertaining to the suggestion of putting the Wessex area into 1-1 (making Beach the dividing line between Ward 1 and Ward 3): The census tracts containing Wessex and other apartment buildings contribute approximately 600 people. Ward 3 is densely populated, and those census blocks containing Wessex and the apartment buildings could not be added to Ward 3 without causing an imbalance between the 1 st and 3rd Wards. It was also our intention to keep whole neighborhoods voting together in the same precinct. Pertaining to the suggestion of keeping the area south of Lincoln Way in 1-2: It was necessary to place the census tracts south of Lincoln Way in 1-3 so as not to exceed the 3,500 precinct population limit. Pertaining to the suggestion of putting the area north of Ontario and west of North Dakota in 4-4, instead of 4-5: This decision was based on meeting the 3,500 precinct population requirement. Pertaining to the suggestion of putting the block bounded by Franklin on the west, Lincoln Way on the south, Colorado on the east, and West Street on the north in 4-3: That was determined by a Legislative District line that, as you know, the precinct boundary cannot cross. We appreciate your interest and comments and will pass them on to the City Council. We would like to have your further comments as soon as possible in advance of the Council's August 14th meeting. Diane Voss, City Clerk John Klaus, City Attorney Joe Pietruszynski, City Planner D rA-C-T Diane R Voss To: jhutter@iastate.edu 08/07/2001 03:55 PM cc: John R Klaus/COA, Joe F Pietruszynski/COA cc: John R Klaus/COA, Joe F Pietruszynski/COA MM lhcYaL-rvi-Gv- Subject: Mr. Hutter: `, _` Q04 4 u Thank you for the suggestionsryou m deb arding retr ReprecinctingJ*kn. John Klaus, City Attorney; Joe Pietruszynski, City Planner; and 1 met thig-44ming to discuss your recommendations -mad_e by the Story_Caupty Demec--rat+c-Chairman-Baue d St©ry-County Auditor. Ms. Bauer and the Aud4or's-effiee-r�sted-that the preeirct-numbers be changed to reflect their current numbers wherever pessib4e. We4h concur that the nufft4efs assigned should be those that cause the least amount of confusion f r the voters, t#e4:n.- t a�--- a,.a w- In comparing yo�Ar recommendations with those of the Auditor, there weFe�a-fie' s. hea4led Mary Mosiman aad.A(as informecd'that David Harvey(from the Auditor's Office) had- R weFkiAg diLgently ts-reco►frriend-a�eirfieE e least number o1 changes for the voters. T+te+r recommendation follows: i, Proposed Precinct Number Suggested Precinct Number �' `" "��`^ l 4 - 1 4 -4 '� 4 -2 4 - 5 4 - 3 4 - 3 4 -4 4 - 1 4 - 5 4 - 2 3 - 1 3 - 2 3 - 2 3 - 5 3 - 3 3 - 3 3 -4 3 -4 3 - 5 3 - 1 The Auditor's Office believes that this will be the least disruptive for v ers and the most economic,for t (fewest voter cards to be re-processed). ' Ms. Mosiman is sending 7ea�� copy of the aboy recommendation tan Bauer. .Cs,.. ..(JCeec% . � c�.ce.ec7.c> :�4���' �, a.-�-t-t(':.��� m., Cm.a„„�P �b-ss-�r�c,�.e + c^� eP� c•--"_; } m'lo suggestion of pu t� d Pertaining tin�3�lLthe.ttF'.. 1�� L�C�uc�;Foc.7,��/v(a2.rtfi cQe✓�..t��r ,� (.%�'`'�"� Wt.Bi Cdptt(/ �(�(�j to y�fi- g Wessex area into 1-1 (making Beach the�ATV'iding line h: am took several things into consideration before drawing the boundary. - e s. Ji� uadranficontaining Wessex p aFl�l4�e -L7otira cn4 (`�C71tlTCffTity� ute pproximately �l®-people. Ward 3 is fly (d� densely populated, and hose census blocks containing Wessex and Gf lfs could not be added to Ward 3 without causing an imbalance between the 1 st and 3rd Wards. It was also our intention to keep whole neighborhoods voting together in the same precinct. Pertaining to year suggestion of keeping the area south of Lincoln Way in 1-2; ct -bow-Rdar-i the result of o mor The census b66 s south of Lincoln Way needed to be placed in 1-3 so as not to exceed the 3,500,populationZ",�,t, Pertaining to r suggestion of putting the area north of Ontario and west of North Dakota in 4-4, instead of 4-5: This decision was based on meeting the 3,500 precinct population requirement. Pertaining to yew suggestion of putting the block bounded by Franklin on the west, Lincoln Way on the south, Colorado on the east, and West Street on the north in 4): TAWas a MandateFy betind ry kJ0& ,`"-0 d' impeseddzy4he Legislative District line*lowa Code prohibits crossing Legislative Districts. �k'iopp�etf(iat add�s"s your ncer nd I ai o -respon � s Fro ose b t Atadito ffice. � Diane Voss, City Clerk ' 44, City of Ames, Iowa (515) 239-5105 '� ,�o � �=►� � „� ` J*w Jim Hutter To: dvoss@city.ames.ia.us ' <jhutter@iastate.edu> cc: 08/03/2001 10:34 PM Subject: Redistricting Dear Ms. Voss, I stopped by on Friday (Aug. 3) to talk to you briefly about the new precinct maps being proposed to the city and am sending you this now because we could not talk then. Encouraging and helping voters to vote and political volunteers to be active are two things to be kept in mind when drawing precinct boundaries. So also is the absence of any requirement that precincts have nearly equal populations. I believe the proposed map is quite well done but let me make two suggestions for changes. First, as I suggested to the Democratic central committee meeting on Tuesday night, several precincts have new numbers for no apparent reason. It would help voters if they could have the same precinct number as in the past when possible. May I suggest that we give the same precinct number to the same "old" precinct as much as possible (and of course, it is not a perfect match-up) . A� In looking at the proposed map, I believe that this would mean (,P' changing: ✓3-1 (proposed) back to 3-2, and 3-2 to 3-1VI, v14-1 (proposed) back to 4-5 V4-4 (proposed) back to 4-1 ;/<-5 (proposed) back to 4-2 x ,./4-2 (proposed) back to 4-4 Second, sometimes people drawing the district lines have sought to make precinct populations mathematically nearly equal at the expense of what I � would call common sense--for want of a better term. In the case of precinct 1-1, of which I currently am precinct chair, I would draw your attention to the Wessex apartments area just west of Beach. Beach is the dividing line between 1-2 and 3-1 and 3-2. Putting the Wessex area into 1-1 is not particularly logical or wise, in my opinion. Any voting location in 3-2 is almost certainly going to be closer and more convenient to those people than will be the State Forest Nursery building that is east (� of Duff at the end of Airport Rd. Describing precinct boundaries to voters and party volunteers would be easier and more sensible if Beach were the dividing line for all of these precincts. Therefore, I request that the y�C� •� areas west of Beach now assigned to 1-1 be given instead to 3-2. I would encourage your looking at other "natural" boundaries to see if it is really important to breach them. Consider first, for example, the area now in proposed precinct 1-3 that is south of Lincoln Way. Why not keep it / with 1-2? Second, the area north of Ontario and west of North Dakota that 4/ was given to (proposed) 4-5 instead of 4-4, a precinct that will grow in population quickly in the future; shouldn't it be in (proposed) 4-4? Third, I would give the block bounded by Franklin (another "natural" boundary) on the west, Lincoln Way on the south, Colorado on the east, and West St. on the north to (proposed) 4-3. What reason was there for not going straight down Franklin instead of dog-legging east one block? It was fhe unnecessary goal of strict mathematical equality. v Not only is this not required by law, but the fact that there will be uneven population changes in the future means that such equality will be J7 s -f K d � � �' � very fleeting anyway. Therefore, other considerations should be given greater weight. I commend these suggestions to you, the city council and mayor (and ask you to share this with them) , and those who put together the plan (for their further consideration of my suggestions) . I hope you will contact me if you have questions or wish to discuss this further. Thank you. Sincerely, Jim Hutter 832 Crystal St. Ames, IA 50010-8406 515-232-7212